When was the "Golden Age" of Stock Eliminator

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by treessavoy

In the '60's I remember reading about a guy who won his class at a national event that got disqualified because he had the wrong muffler on his Studebaker stocker....muffler!

In 1963 Don Gay was DQ'ed in A/S for having 2 mufflers 1/2 inch to short in length on the M/T 62 421 SD Pontiac Cat. that used to be Hayden Proffits S/S before his 409 days. The "NORTH WIND" 409 Belair run by Joe Tryson (Grumpy's main shop guy) was runner up but was DQ'ed for having a couple of bumper brackets missing where they were replaced by the towing tabs.

[Rich Biebel]

Exhaust systems were required on Stockers.....so everyone just hung some straight pipes and some small mufflers and they had to at least reach the rearend housing. They hung down pretty low on a lot of cars. Ours were connected to the headers but there was no hole there. A stupid NHRA rule.....parts came off regularly. The biggest stupid NHRA rule was 7" slicks....120mph capable cars riding on these tires with narrow rims and very low air preasure. Cars flipped in the lights fairly often mostly from trying to gain traction with low air, narrow rims and skinny tires........at speed you might be feeling a bit sideways......add in some balljoint spacers and whooppee what a ride!!!!

[GUMP]

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

In 1963 Don Gay was DQ'ed in A/S for having 2 mufflers 1/2 inch to short in length on the M/T 62 421 SD Pontiac Cat. that used to be Hayden Proffits S/S before his 409 days. The "NORTH WIND" 409 Belair run by Joe Tryson (Grumpy's main shop guy) was runner up but was DQ'ed for having a couple of bumper brackets missing where they were replaced by the towing tabs.

Ah, the "Good Old Days"! !

Honestly, I think that tech on a National level back then must have been really tough, but on a local level it must have been pretty lax. When I picked up my Formula in 1995 the owner told me about the new Firebird Stocker that he had in 1968 and all the tropies he had won with it on a local level. He also told me about the 428 short block that it had in it!

[Frito]

Originally Posted by GUMP

Ah, the "Good Old Days"! !

Honestly, I think that tech on a National level back then must have been really tough, but on a local level it must have been pretty lax. When I picked up my Formula in 1995 the owner told me about the new Firebird Stocker that he had in 1968 and all the tropies he had won with it on a local level. He also told me about the 428 short block that it had in it!

A P&G tester and maybe cc a head (if time permitted) and matching casting # and carb was about the most they could do. Not taking away, remember they were mostly just car guys wanting to be involved on a local level.